A blog for Idaho job seekers and employers

Monthly Archives: April 2013

Elicia Johnson was so grateful for the job search assistance she received from Boise workforce consultant, Alma Welch, she kept her appointment even after she had accepted an offer just so she could tell Alma thank you.

Elicia first met Alma after being randomly selected for an Idaho Department of Labor job search assessment as an unemployment claimant. She had lost her job as an office manager after working with the same company for 23 years.

Alma gave Elicia an overview of the department’s services, discussed her job search progress and recommended resume and job search workshops.

Now that school is almost over teens are beginning to think about summer jobs. Make sure you know what age requirements exist for a particular job before your child applies.

Age 14 is listed by the Fair Labor Standards Act as the minimum age for most non-agricultural work. However, at any age, youth may deliver newspapers; perform in radio, television movie, or theatrical productions; work in businesses owned by their parents (except in mining, manufacturing or hazardous jobs); and perform babysitting or minor chores around a private home.Continue reading →

Hundreds of high school seniors received a real-world introduction to employment and job search techniques in Post Falls this spring.

At Post Falls High School, students prepare for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Reverse Job Fair throughout the school year – researching careers and colleges, job shadowing and creating portfolios filled with work-related documents, explains Post Falls High School English teacher Jennifer Maddy. The students also engage in practice interviews and create tri-fold posters in final preparation for the fair.

“It blows me away every year,” said interviewer and judge, David Risdon, CEO of Century Publishing in Post Falls. Risdon – involved with the fair since its inception in 2007 – says he is impressed by each student’s potential and likes seeing how well the students prepare for the fair. “The kids have dreams and are ready to go after them,” he said.Continue reading →

Here is a roundup of economic news compiled by the Idaho Department of Labor in April:

Northern Idaho

More than 600 students participated

Hard Hats, Hammers and Hot Dogs.

in this year’s Hard Hats, Hammers and Hot Dogs, a hands-on event sponsored by local businesses, Avista Utilities and the Idaho Department of Labor. Students learn about a variety of careers in trade industries from operating heavy equipment to welding.

Spokane-based Seven2 Inc. and 14Four Inc., sister companies that provide digital and Web-based design services, have roughly doubled in employment, growing from 30 to 70 with plans to add 10 more. The companies develop online and mobile application projects for clients such as Disney, Expedia and AT&T.

Ground Force, a Post Falls company that manufactures open-pit mining equipment, expects to hire between 100 and 125 new employees. Most of those jobs will be working in the manufacturing plant and some in engineering and administration. In addition to the new 65,000-square-foot plant, CEO Ron Nilson plans to add another 44,000-square-foot factory and an 8,200-square-foot corporate office. The company projects Ground Force’s workforce to top 400 in Post Falls.

Workforce consultant Robin Hollis answers questions about what Idaho Department of Labor consultants do and how they help Idaho job seekers find work:

What does an Idaho Department of Labor workforce consultant do?

Workforce consultants help with job searches and job placement. We also provide guidance, tools and tips to make a job seeker’s application and/or resume more marketable.

Some workforce consultants also help customers with unemployment insurance (UI) or programs that will make them more employable.

My main focus is serving as a Youth Case Manager. I work with at-risk youth between the ages of 16-21, help young people earn their GEDs or mentor and help them determine what career they want to pursue.

Small businesses are often referred to as the backbone of our economy. The Small Business Administration released a top 10 list espousing ways small businesses are important to the country. The list includes some interesting facts like 43 percent of all high-tech employment is created by small business and small firms with high levels of patents produce 16 times more patents per employee than their larger counterparts.

The SBA also provides a lot of data on small businesses. Unfortunately, the SBA considers a small business to be 500 or less employees. For Idaho, this includes many employers that are very large, especially in our rural communities.

Using data from the most recent tax files, this article looks at business with less than 50 employees and compares them to the rest to see how Idaho small business have fared over time.Continue reading →